Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. - Psalm 107:1.

The first thing I want to say in this article is I am very thankful.

First of all I am very thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ for allowing me the privilege and honor to serve him and his church as a pastor and staff member at Omaha Bible Church for the past 16 years and 9 months. And when I include my time as an elder of OBC in the 1990s, that will be around 23 years in leadership that I give thanks for when I retire on December 31, 2025.

I want to thank you as the body of Christ. You are the people who I not only love as my brothers and sisters in Christ, but you are my great friends, and I appreciate so much the support you have given to me over the years. Your love and care for me and my family have been a constant source of encouragement for us since we started attending OBC in 1992 – over 33 years ago now. You have been so wonderful and kind to us.

I also want to thank Senior Pastor Pat Abendroth and the elders of Omaha Bible Church who gave me this opportunity back in 2009.

And before I move on from all the thank yous, I want to publicly thank my wife, Denise, for all her love and support that has allowed me to serve as a pastor and elder for all these years. She has been my true partner in this ministry.

People have asked me what’s next - what are you going to do? Retirement counselors tell you to have a plan when you leave work. They tell you to retire to something. As I consider retirement in light of what the Scriptures have to say about our Christian life, I found passages like Philippians 3 and Romans 12 helpful.

In Philippians 3, Paul, who as an apostle of Jesus Christ is likely around 60 years of age when he wrote the letter, says he still needs to progress in the Christian life. He says, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14). Paul is pressing on, not laying back.

The Bible consistently drives home this theme of serving Jesus Christ in light of the cross with our lives, our time, our resources, and our energy. In Romans 12:1 we are told to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” There is no expiration date on this command.

You don’t get the modern sense of “retirement” from these passages. Rather we are called to sacrifice our lives for Christ, joyfully and thankfully serving Him.

So what is next for me? There are certainly different seasons in our lives and for me a new season is dawning. My role may be changing, but my mission has not. Our mission as individuals and as the church is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world around us.

After these many years as a pastor and elder I still have a desire to be used to reach out with the gospel of Christ and to love His people. So I hope to continue to teach the Bible in various settings, including in Adult Sunday School and from the pulpit as opportunities arise. I continue to be amazed at the great salvation our God has provided in Jesus Christ for me as a sinner saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. I plan to continue to proclaim that great salvation, and be a good Christian friend to people as the Lord calls me. And so Denise and I plan to continue serving right here at OBC in the future, for it is the church and the people we love.

Every disciple of Jesus is called to proclaim Christ and serve Him in every stage of life. There is no retirement from the privilege and honor of serving our King. As was proclaimed by the apostle Paul, “let us press on to know the LORD.” May you press on in your own life as you seek to know and serve Christ even more. To Him be the glory.